Telephone desk set.



H. L. KNIGHT L B. W. SWEET.

TELEPHONE DESK SET. APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1905.

1,083,406, Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

F i 2 f? 'Illlll Il @E Wlllllll-Illv /1/ @1222 @E WITNESS/5s.' I j' JNI/ENTORS ccLUlmau` PLANOGRAPH co,.\vAsmNu'r0N. D. C.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

HERBERT Il. KNIGItT ANI) BURTON W. SWEET, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNORS, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CENTURY TELEPHONE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE DESK SET.

To all 107mm t may concern.'

Be it known that we, HERBERT L. KNIGHT and BURTON W. SWEET, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Desk Sets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

Our invention relates to improvements in telephone desk-sets, and has for its object, the manufacture of an article of this character in a simple, cheap, but thoroughly strong and durable manner, whereby the operative parts may be made readily accessible to the proper parties, while affording means for securely assembling the parts and effectually closing the same against unauthorized inspection by the public. In instruments of this character, it is quite apparent that the operative parts thereof, and particularly the switching mechanism, should be so mounted as to afford ease of inspection, adjustment and repair; but unless this be accompanied by a thoroughly substantial construction, and one which ordinarily precludes tampering by unauthorized parties, this accessibility often defeats its own purpose.

Our invention has proceeded with these and other practical considerations in mind, whereby a telephone desk-set has resulted which avoids the objections indicated, and embodies structural features of marked practical value.

Before entering upon a full explanation of our improved construction, we may point out in a preliminary way that the desk-set of our invention comprises an interior skeleton standard adapted to be mounted in the base, and carrying the several operative parts of the instrument, including the transmitter, telephone-hook, the switch, the receiver, and the several cord terminals. The sleeve adapted to slip over the skeleton standard, protects the switch-parts and terminals, while a lock-nut or ring, and an improved closure-part locking within the base portion, complete the primary parts of the embodiment of our invention, as depicted in the accompanying drawings, wherein g- Figure I. is a view in side elevation, partially broken away, showing the complete desk-set. Fig. II. is a vertical sectional Specication of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19, 1906.

Patented J an. 6, 1914..

Serial No. 312,610.

view taken at right angles to that of Fig.'I. Fig. III. is another view in elevation, showing the skeleton standard. Fig. IV. illustrates in perspective, upon an enlarged scale, the binding-screw and bolt for the transmitter. Fig. V. is an'under view of the base portion. Figs. VI., VII., and VIII. respectively show in perspective, the exterior sleeve, the locking-nut or ring, and one of the washers. Fig. IX. is an interior view of the bottom closure-part. Fig. X. a view of the edge thereof; and, Fig. XI. a plan view of the Spanner or wrench employed for removing and replacing the locking-nut and closure-part.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, we have designated similar parts by the same character of reference, in order to avoid misunderstanding or confusion in the consideration thereof.

In Fig. III., is shown the skeleton standard a of tubular form, and laterally cut away upon either side to afford ready access to its interior. Above it is provided with ears a', adapted to receive the transmitter b, while below it is provided with a slot a2, and threaded extremity as. Within the integral annular portion a* is provided insulation c', seating the switch c and its operative plunger c2. This switch is of novel form, and is made the subject of a separate Patent No. 885,348, granted to Herbert L. Knight, and need not be further described here. The telephone-hook el, whereon the receiver (not shown) is adapted to. be hung, is pivoted upon a bracket provided within said standard. The screw-bolt c for mounting the transmitter, best shown in Fig. IV., is provided with a pin e extending from the head of said bolt, and adapted to engage a slot in one of the ears a. Said bolt is interiorly tapped at c2, and a screw e3 is seated therein. This construction affords secure means for frictionally engaging the ears with the extension Zn of the transmitter casing, and avoids the somewhat cumbersome exterior thumb-nut commonly found upon desk-sets, with the attendant and undesirable ease of loosening and removing the parts. This is particularly advantageous, when it is recalled that one of the terminals of the transmitter commonly is grounded upon the frame, and efficiency of electrical and mechanical contact is quite necessary.

The skeleton standard renders the contained parts entirely accessible, by reason of the fact that its sides are open to permit of inspection and repair of the switchhook mechanism, which includes a plunger c2, carrying a laterally extended insulating sleeve e2, adapted to be actuated into and out of engagement with the switch-springs for effecting the desired circuit changes. A sleeve f, which may be of nickeled brass, rubber or other suitable material, is adapted to be slipped over the skeleton standard or upright, with washers 7 above and below, giving an ornamental appearance to the conipleted desk-set, and affording shoulders engaging the cap of the skeleton standard and the base portion. A Said base is slightly dished or hollowed, and has a central bore y', and an interior feather g2. lVithin this bore, the lower end of the skeleton standard is inserted, as best shown in Fig. II., with the feather g2 in engagement with the slot o-r key-way 52. Upon the threaded e.\'l'.remv ity a3 vof said standard, is inserted the locking-ring or nut it, having openings L adapted to receive the spurs l7" of the spanner or key y', whereby said lockingring is turned tightly upon the` threaded extremity of the v Y tion with a base-portion, of a tubular skeleton standard removably secured therein; its iside-portions being partially cut away, a ,telephone hook switch, an actuating lever, circuit terminals, and a transmitter al1- smounted directly thereon in position for` standard, and serves to secure the several parts removably together. The base-portion has diametrically positioned lugs or ears g3 extending from the circumferential shoulder against which the closure-part or bottom la is" adapted to rest. Riveted upon said closure-part, is a stiff spring c, having its ends flared or shaped as best shown in Fig. X., whereby, upon turning the closure-part and s rin so that the latter engages the lu Us 3 i p' g" b o a y tion with the base-portion thereof haying.

i inwardly projecting ears or studs, of a cirthe baseportion is tightly closed, and access theretol is prevented. This is accomplished by means of the spanner or key, the lugs whereof are also adapted to fit Within openings indicated by dotted lines immediately beneath the bosses 7a2 upon the diametrically positioned spring 7c.

An annular rim of leather Z, is inserted within a recess provided in the base, whereon the desk-set is adapted to rest, and thereby avoid scratching or marring the supporting surface.

From the foregoing description, setting forth the preferred construction of our improvements, it will readily be gathered how the desk-set of our invention is assembled and taken apart. To accomplish the latter, the cordm is merely slackened, the closurepart and the locking-ring respectively removed, 'whereupon the sleeve and washers may be slipped down upon the cord, thus exposing the skeleton standard and the opertive parts of the desk-set mounted thereon.

In this condition, the switch-springs and` III. W'hen the parts are assembled, how'- ever, the locking-ring rigidly holds the standard in posltion upon the base, wherein it is prevented from turning by means of the key-way and feather. The inclosing sleeve protects the switch parts from dust or the meddling of the user, while the closure-part prevents access to the interior of the desk-set and the separation of its parts, except it be first removed by means of the proper key or spanner.

Although we have described in detail, the preferred construction of a desk-set embodying our invention, we do not desire to be necessarily limited to each of such details, and, accordingly claim the following l. In a telephone desk set, the combination with a tubular skeleton standard affording open side-portions, of a hook-switch and terminals, its pivoted actuating-lever and a transmitter all operatively mounted within and directly upon said skeleton standard in position for free access thereto,

i a protective sleeve removably fitting about lsaid standard, and means for temporarily ,securing it in place, substantially as set l forth.

2. In a telephone` desk set, the combinaready access, and means within the base for `removably securing said standard thereto, substantially as set forth.

3. In a telephone desk-set, the combinacular closure-part for the baseportion, and

` a spring interiorly fiXed to said closure-part havingI its ends suitably shaped to engage the studs and lock the closure-part upon the base or release the same, upon a partial rotation thereof, substantially as set forth.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination. with a base-portion presenting a. circular opening, and an annular shoulder, ofv a circular closure-part, interior lugs prof vided upon the base-portion, and,` an engag ing spring attached to the closure-part with` its ends flared or formed to embrace said lugs, whereby the closure-part may be secured or released by slightly rotating the.

the base-portion, and an engaging spring attached to the closure-part with its` ends flared or formed to embrace said lugs,

whereby the closure-part may be secured" 'or released by slightly rotating the spring into or out of engagement with the lugs, substantially as set forth.

6. In a telephone desk-set, the combination with a centrally bored base-portion, of a tubular skeleton standard adapted to be removably mounted therein, said standard being cut away at the side to permit access to its interior, an annular support provided upon said standard, an insulatingly-mounted hookswitch therein, a pivoted telephone-hook, a transmitter surmounting the standard, an inclosing easing for the skelet-on standard, a locking-ring, and means for permitting the rotation of said locking-ring upon and off the extremity of the standard, whereby the parts are removably secured together, substantially as set forth.

7. In a telephone desk-set, the combination with a tubular standard having portions of its sides cut away to permit access to the interior thereof, a telephone hookswitch mounted in the upper portion of said standard, a pivoted supporting-lever and means for actuating the switch, and a transmitter, all operatively mounted upon the tubular standard, an inclosing casing or sleeve itting over said standard and protecting the contained parts, a dished or holloW base-portion, means for removably securing the standard therein, and a removable olosure-part for the base-portion, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Cleveland, this 17th day of April, A. D. 1906, in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

HERBERT L. KNIGHT. [1.. s.] BURTON W. SWEET.

Vitnesses:

CHAS. S. BEARDSLEY, J. D. MALLoY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained fox' ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

